The invention relates to a roller belt which is closed in the circumferential direction and has overlapping belt edges. Along a conveying path, the belt is brought through several support roller stations, with the respective support roller stations being provided with several belt support rollers which lie against the outer circumference of the roller belt.
German Offenlegungsschrift (printed, unexamined application) DE 36 20 906 discloses a roller belt which has the features of being closed in the circumferential direction, having overlapping belt edges, and being guided along a conveying path through a plurality of support roller stations which have respective belt support rollers in contact with the outer circumference of the roller belt. Additionally, only one common belt support roller is provided between the transporting and the return feed. It is known that roller belt conveyors do not always maintain their desired geometry which is necessary for optimum arrangement of the belt support rollers. In all prior art arrangements, the respective belt edge of the outwardly overlapping side runs onto the edge of a belt support roller, thus always causing considerable damage to the belt and reducing its service life. If tension cables are additionally worked into the outer belt zones, i.e. its edge region, these tension cables are also affected and finally wear through.
The most varied aids are employed to improve roller belt guidance in order to prevent or impede travelling of the belt. For example, guide and control rollers are employed or belt support rollers are placed at a camber (see, e.g. German Offenlegungsschrift 31 45 899).
However, all of these devices have the drawback that they require additional expenditures and that the resulting additional friction causes premature wear with increased driving power.